Apparatus for producing synthetic yarn



Aug. 27, 1946. I A. J. sINO'RE'r APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC YARN 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Dec. 28, 1942 INVE NT OR AZb eriJJzynorei BY a I: I M p ATTORNEY Aug. 27, 1946. SIGN' RET 2,406,641

APPARATUS FOR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC YARN Filed 0 6. 28, 19 42 2 6116616411666 2 I INVENTPR AlberlJJzgnoret Patented Aug. 27, 1946 2,406,641 7 APPARATUS FoR PRODUCING SYNTHETIC YARN Albert J. Signoret, 'NewYork, N. Y., as'signor to American Safety Razor Corporation,

Brooklyn,

N. Y., a corporation of Virginia Application December 28, 1942, Serial No. 470,350

3 Claims. (Cl. 19-129) My present invention relates generally to the production of a yarn from filaments and more particularly from synthetically produced n12.- ments. i

My invention will be disclosed herein as applied to the production of yarn from artificially produced filaments. This is not to be construed as indicating that my invention is not capable of practical application in the production of yarns from natural fibers. Therefore my invention is not to be construed in a limited sense because of its manner of disclosure unless called for by the express language of the claims.

synthetically produced filaments are formed by extruding a viscous mass through small openings of spinnerettes into fixing baths and the like. When formed they are wound on bobbins. A number of these filaments are then brought together to form rope-like lengths which may be wound into compact form such as hanks to simplify handling. The term hank will herein be employed generically to refer to these lengths and not specifically as referring to the particular compact formation they may be given.

In accordance with the present practice the hanks are each subjected to a guillotining operation which chops them into short stapleof a length suitable for subsequent processing. These short lengths are received in a receptacle or con-,

tainer to form a mass. This mass is then subjected to a treatment by appropriate apparatus to form the sliver of extended length and of a desired thickness such as of the order of 1".

The short lengths which comprise the sliver are positioned lengthwise, being multiplied in the cross section thereof to give the required or desired thickness and being multiplied lengthwise thereof to give the extended length.

A plurality of slivers arranged laterally of each other are then united to form a web and this web is subjected to preliminary gilling and attenuation in an apparatus termed a gillbox, which unites the slivers into a web and attenuates that web in the direction of its length. The gill box comprises what are termed faller bars which comb into parallelism the short. lengths of which the web is comprised.

The attenuated web is then fed through the restricted passageway of atrumpet to form a sliver. A plurality of these reconstituted slivers in lateral relation are then subjected to a further gilling' operation in what may be termed an intermediate gill box whereby they are formed into a web which is combed,- attenuated and compacted as in the preliminary gill box toreconsti- 2 tute this web as a sliver. A plurality of'these reconstituted slivers are again subjected to attenuating and compacting treatment until the desired yarn is produced.

It has been suggested that the process now employed for producing yarn from synthetically produced filaments could be simplified and the apparatus required could be materially reduced if the guillotining operation were performed after the formation of the web and during and as part of a gilling operation and that this could be effected by associating cutting edges with the faller bars which form part of the gill box.

One of the objects of my invention is an arrangement whereby cutting edges can be asso ciated with faller bars of the gill box to cut the web into short staple lengths. This I attain generally by positioning cutting edges below the top of the needles of the faller bar fora distance so that the cutting edges will cut through the web during the normal throw or movement of the faller bars.

Another object of my invention is the provision of an arrangement whereby the aforementioned cutting operation be performed so as to afiectto a minimum degree, the integrity and continuity of the web. This I attain (a) by employing cutting edges whose lengths are materially less than the width of the Web and where a plurality of edges are associated with a faller,

ciation of cutting edges with the faller barswithout requiring any changes or modifications in the latter. This I attain in one arrangement by securing means attachable to a conventional faller bar. 7

Cutting edges have a relatively short life and require replacement frequently. It is a further.

object of my invention that the means for securing the cutting edges to the faller bars be separate from the cutting edge itself to permit replacement at will of the latter without requiring replacement of the former.

For the attainment of these objects and such other objects as may hereinafter appear or be pointed out I illustrate embodiments of my invention in the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure 1 is a perspective view of a conventional Figure '7 is a view similar to that of Figure 3 oi a modified embodiment of my invention;

Figure 8 is a section taken on line 8 ,8 of Figur '7 Figures 9 and 10 are perspective views of the blade and of the blade holder of Figure 7 respectively;

Figure 11 is a view similar to Figure 3 showing another modified form of holder and blade;

Figure 12 is a horizontal section through Figure 11;

Figures 13 andl l showa modified arrangement wherein groups of faller bar needles are replaced by cutters;

Figures 15, 16 and 17 are perspective views of embodiments wherein the cutting edges are formed integral with the means for securing these edges to the faller bars; and V Figure 18 is a fragmentary view of a detail on an enlarged scale.

Figure 1 shows a detail.

In Figures 1 and 2 I show a conventional gilling apparatus comprising feeding rollers [0 at one end and'delivery rollers}! at the other end, the rollers H being positively driven at a higher peripheral velocity than that of the rollers 10, a relative velocity of the order of five to one being a conventional practice. It has already been stated that in that conventional practice a plurality of slivers as shown in Figure 1 are fed to the delivery rollers to form the web W and that as a result of the guillotining operation performed upon the hanks the web which isso formed, will be comprised of short staple lengths which in a conventional practice may be of the exemplary order of 4" to 6". It will now be added that the two aforementioned sets of rollers are conventionally spaced apart a distance of the order for example of 12". In this practice the short staple length of which the web length between the two sets of rollers is comprised, will fall into these three categories: One group of these short staple length will be gripped and controlled by feeding rollers iii; a second group will be gripped and controlled by the delivery rollers l l; and the remaining short lengths will form a third group which are free of both sets of rollers but will be constrained to .move under the control of factors such as adhesion and the like. Because of the eccelerated peripheral velocity of the delivery rollers l l the first mentioned group of short staple courses will be advanced at an accelerated speed relatively to those of the second mentioned group and the staple courses which comprise the third mentioned group will respond and more or less casually, to the control of factors such as adhesion imposed upon them by the movements of the other two groups. This action attenuates the.

Web.

The attenuated web is delivered by the rollers ll into the restricted passageway of trumpet 20 which compacts the web to the thickness of a sliver.

Positioned between the two sets of rollers I0 and 1 l of this conventional apparatus is a mechanism comprised of a series of taller bars each of which is constituted of a bar l5 from which projects upwardly a row of needles it spaced apart across its length, the needles tapering to a point I! at their upper ends (see Figure 3) lhe length of the bar It and of the row of needles is at least equal to the width of the web W for reasons that will be understood as this descrip- Vtion proceeds.

These faller bars travel between the two sets of rollers Iii and H in a path that can best be described as an extremely fiat oval whose long dimension is in the direction of feed of the web. The fallcr bars travel in their elevated position of Figure 1 from a point adjacent the feed rollers to a point adjacent the delivery rollers where they are dropped by mechanism not shown, to a lower level and their direction of movement reversed until they again arrive in the vicinity of the feeding rollers I!) where they are suddenly projected upwardly into their starting position in the upper level. This comprises the cycle of travel of each faller bar along a path which has been referred to as a flat oval and this cycle is repeated continuously for the gilling operation. The faller bars follow each other in this path in timed relation and in a uniform manner. In their upward projection, the needles [6 are caused to penetrate the web as shown in Figure 3 so that in their advance toward the delivery rollers H, the needles comb the short staple lengths into parallelism.

The apparatus thus far described is typical of theseries of gill boxes employed for the performance of the successive gilling operations.

The process suggested for the simplification of the present practice contemplates that the continuous filaments united to form hanks or slivers also of continuous length, be fed directly to the feed rollers iii of a gill box and without any reduction of that continuous length into short staple courses.

In accordance with this simplified process, S in Figure l are the hanks or slivers of extended length and comprised of filaments also of extended length because they have not been subjected to a guillotining operation. This suggested process contemplates further that these slivers S be formed into a web and that simultaneous with the gilling operation the web so formed be cut into short lengths during the process of gilling. It contemplates further that this cutting be performed by cutting edges associated with the taller bars and my invention is directed to a manner of association of cutting edges with the gill bars whereby this can be efiected.

In Figure 3 I show a fragment of a faller bar to illustrate one arrangement whereby a cutting edge may be associated therewith in accordance with my invention. This arrangement comprises a blade holding member 25 and a blade 26 to be detachably held thereby with its cutting edge 21 in predetermined relation to the pointed ends I! of the faller bar needles. This holder is illustrated as made of sheet material. In Figure 5 it is shown as comprised in horizontal cross section of the end wall 25', side walls 25 and the flanges 25 extending inwardly from these end walls, for the 1 reception of a group of adjacent faller bar needles within said walls. For reasons that will shortly appear, it is desirable that the material of which the holder 25 is made or its construction or both be such that the parts of which it is comprised yieldlto some extent. The holder is illustrated as tion of theneedles that as the holder is forced down over this selectedgroup of needles, a gradweb by the feed rollers for the distancefrom a to cm Figure 6. The effect of this'is that the filaments composed in the web width marked 1 uallyincreasing frictional engagementi'will be effected until the'holder reaches its final position of Figures 3 and 4 wherein it seats upon the top of the bar 15. This arrangement serves to locate .theholder 25 on the needle bar [5.

The blade 26 is illustrated in Figure 3 as generally' rectangular and bevelledrat its upper edge to provide the cutting edge 21 which is preferably inclined as will be pointed out hereinafter. Its

. dimensions are such that its side edges 26. and

26 can be receivedbetween side walls 125 of the holder with its cutting edge 21 exposed above the top of holder 25 when the blade is in its final position of Figures 3 and 4'. The blade is inserted in the holder by being forced down in between end wall 25' thereof and the needles l6 which are received therewithin; The. objectives which I desire to attain are these: that the grip of theholder 25 about the needles be sufficient to secure the holder thereto and thatthe inserted blade increase this grip to a point where accidental release of either the holder 25 or the blade 26 will be reduced to a minimum. It will be pointed out that in this arrangement, the blade acts as a locking wedge to increase the securement, of both blade and holder. This arrangement permits of a replacement of the blade without'replacing the holder 25. The blade can be removed merely by forcing it upwardly out of the holder. To facilitate this, I show an opening 28 in holder 25 (see FiguresB and 4) and a registrating opening 29 in the blade to admit a tool point to facilitate removal of either or both. 7

A feature of my invention is the limited length of the cutting. edges relatively to the width of the web and the manner of their arrangement, whereby the filamentsof which the web is comprised, may nevertheless becut into short staple lengths for the full'width of the web without howeverbreaking the continuity of the web. In Figure 6 f the drawings I show one arrangement whereby this may be efiected. The distance from a to b represents the width of the web which is being fed in the direction of arrow X andthe distance from a to 0 represents that length of the web which is in opposition to the active faller bars at any moment and the horizontal lines numbered successively #1 to #16 may be stated to be a diagrammatic representation of the faller bars and the shorter heavier portion of each line to represent the cutting edge associated with each fallerbar. It will be ob.- served that the cutting edges 21 areshown in this pattern as distributed one to each faller bar and as positioned differently laterally on the respectivebars to give the staggered pattern of Figure 6 and that the projection of all the cutting edges of the pattern of Figure 6 on a'single line gives the resultant of-a cut for the fullwidth of the web without substantialoverlap; V V

The pattern of Figure 6 shows a complete cycle which is repeated continuously as the web is fed through the gill box. As a result each cut is effected in the particular example of Figure 6 through of the width of the web and. in that narrow width is repeated once' for each cycle at a, distance from the previous cut in that narrow width that corresponds to'the feed of the across the top in Figure 6 will be cut into short staple lengths which correspondto'the distance from a to 0 except that the first cut will be made in the narrow width at the extreme left in Figure 6 and the succeeding cut will be made in that width in the next cycle; the adjacent width which is numbered 2 at the top will be cut at the line numbered 14 in the column of numbers at the left of Figure 6 and again in that width during following cycles and atthe corresponding line. As

a result of all this, the filaments of which the web is comprised are cut into short staple courses of a length between two succeeding cuts in any one of the aforementioned narrow widths. The pattern of Figure 6 assumes that all parts of the web are moving at a uniform speed which has been already explained is not the fact. The pattern however does correctly represent the cutting operation because that is performed upon the web atfa point adjacent the feeding rolls and where all the filaments of which the web is comprised are under control of the feed rollers and are fed at the peripheral velocity of those rollers.

Upon an analysis of the pattern of Figure 6 it Will be understood that any specific faller bar such as that numbered 1 in the column at the left will not comb the width which it cuts but that inch width will be combed by all the other faller ars.

In addition to the other benefits that result by way of simplification of the process, the manner and time in which the cutting is performed present these additional advantages. The filaments before being out are maintained more or less in parallelism by the fact that they are of extended length. Therefore when these filaments are out into short staple courses they will generally already be in a position of parallelism and the movement of the whole mass which comprises the Web will tend to maintain that relation. This is particularly so because in' accordance with the staggered arrangement of thepatterns such as shown in Figure 6, none of the short staple courses in any of the widths numbered at the top' will have their ends in registration with those in any other width. It will be understood that the practical application of my invention may be effected by patterns which vary from that shown in Figure 6 andthat this pattern is merely an exemplary one.

For these reasons'it is believed that the combing operation will be a simplified and more effective one. Upon viewing Figure 4 it will be observed that the holder 25 is so positioned on the needles with reference to the direction of movement of the web thatduring the upward movement of the faller bar the pressure of the advancing web will tend to hold the blade against the needles and thereby assist in rigidifying the cutting edge thereof so that a cleanand sharp out will be effected.

' In Figures 7 to 10 inclusive I show a modified arrangement wherein the holder 30 is shown in Figure 10 and the blade 3| shown in Figure 9. The holder of Figure 10 resembles the holder of the embodimentof Figure 3 in that it is made of any preferred or desired material such as metal and is comprised of a wall 30'- for the full Width of the holder, opposed end walls 30 and inwardly directed flanges 33' to receive therebetween a group ofneedles. The holder com prises however in addition, flange 32 directed as shown and provided with. openings 233 one for each of the needles to be engaged and spaced correspondingly so that the openings 33 can en age over a group of needles as shown .in Figures '7 and 8 to lock the holder inposition on a faller bar. On the opposite face of the wall 31)" is a projection 34 having an inclined surface 36 to serve the purpose shortly to be pointed out. The blade is rectangular like inthe embodiment of Figure 3 but however is slitted adjacent. to each side edge from thebottornupwardly as shown at 38 to provide the fingers 39. It is provided also with the opening 36, all for reasons that will shortly appear. In this case the holder 30 is assembled with a group of needles merely by passing the group through the openings 33 until the member 32 seats on top of the faller bar. The blade is then inserted within the space provided by the walls 38", 36 and flanges 33 until the lower edge of the opening 36 passes over the protuberance 3d and locks therebelow. The width of the fingers 39 are at least equal to and possibly greater than the width of the flanges 33 so that thereby the lower part of the blade intermediate the fingers is permitted freely to flex over the abutment 34 to its locked position of Figures '7 and 8. In this modification the securement of the holder to the faller bar is effected primarily through the member 32 and the openings 33 and only incidentally to any frictional engagement eifected by the other parts. What has otherwise been said of the embodiment of Figures 3 and 4.- applies also to this embodiment.

The embodiment of Figures 11 and 12 difiers from the embodiment of Figure 3 in this respect: the holder 45 has its side walls 45 slotted at their bottom and the blade 46 has flanges 41 extending outwardly from the bottom of its opposed side edges. Otherwis the holder of Figures 11 and 12 is similar to the assembly of Figure 3 except that in the embodiment of Figures 11 and 12 the blade is first assembled with the holder by being passed upwardly through the bottom thereof so that the flanges 41 of the blade engage in the slots of the holder and the two when thu assembled are then passed'over a'group of needles to effect th same character of frictional engagement thereof 'as is effected in the embodiment of Figure wherein the blade acts as a wedge to that end. The flanges 41 act positively to prevent the blade from moving out of the holder.

It has already been pointed out that the selected group of needles of any particular faller bar which are in opposition to the cutting edge carried thereby do not comb the particular width cut by said cutting edge. I therefore show in Figures 13 and 14 another embodiment of the invention in which this selected group of needles are removed entirely and a cutting edge positioned in the space left thereby and secured in that position by engagement with the solid portion of the faller bar.

By reference to Figure 14 it will be observed that I show a cutter 50 bevelled at 5| to provide the cutting edge. Extending inwardly from its lower edge is the flange 52 from which depend the pins 53. These pins are of a thickness so as to be received in the openings 54 provided in the faller bar for the reception of the needles which have been removed. The fit of the pins 53 and the openings 54 is preferably a tight one for obvious reasons. This embodiment diners from the previously described embodiments in the re spect that the cutting edge and the securing mean form a' single integral unit. Inthis respect it resembles the embodiments of Figures 15, 16 and 17 which I will now proceed to describe.

Referring to Figure I show a blade 60 provided'with a cutting edge BI at its top edge and having spaced horizontal flanges 62 cut therefrom and vertical openings 53 formed in said flanges. The aforementioned parts and features are all contrived so that the openings 63 can receive spaced apart needles therethrough to frictionally secure the blade 68 in predetermined position.

The securing means of Figure 15 bears a resemblance to the securing means of the holder of Figure 10.

The embodiment of Figure 16 resembles the embodiment of Figure 3 in that the securing means comprises the end wall 70, side walls 10' and. inwardly directed flanges 76 It differs from the aforementioned embodiment'in that the end wall 'Hlhas been bevelled at its topiedge to provide the cutting edge. I

In the embodiment of Figure 17 the cutter is shown at 80 and .is bevelled at its upper edge to provide a cutting edge. Outwardly from its lower edge extends the horizontal flange 81 with openings 82 therethrough to receive a group of needles. 7

Reference has been made to the fact that the cutting edge shown in each of the embodiments is preferably inclined but the cutting edges are not so shown in each of the figures already described because it is deemed more convenient to do this in the enlarged showing of Figure 18 wherein the cutting edge 38 is shown inclined so that the end BI is higher than the end 82. This facilitates the cutting operation for reasons that will be readily understood.

Notwithstanding that a natural fiber such as cotton is of relatively short length of the order as low as one half an inch, many featuresof my invention nevertheless have a practical application in the production of yarn therefrom. It is contemplated that such practical applications be encompassed herein unless otherwise expressly statedin the claims.

Itwill be understood that I have disclosed in Figure 6 only one pattern which assumes a single blade on each faller bar. It will be understood that with such specific arrangement the staple lengths into which the filaments are cut will be dependent upon the time interval in the completion of a cycle and the rate at which the web is fed, and that a chang in this relativerelation will result in a change of the length of these short staple lengths. g It willalso be understood that the staple length can be controlled by associating a multiplicity of cutting edges with each faller bar in which event a plurality of cuts will be made by each faller bar during each cycle. It will further be understood that the pattern disclosed in Figure 6 could be usedfor attaining the general objects of my invention.

Having thus described my invention and illustrated its-use, whatI claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

1. A separable attachment to a gill box faller bar comprised conventionally of a base and needles for detachably securing a blade to such faller bar with its cutting edge in predetermined relation to its needles, said attachment being made of a sheet material and comprising a wall of'a width sufficient to span a group of adjacent needles and of a height less than thelength of the needles and flanges bent from the opposite side edges of said wall to extend inwardly toward each other and parallel with and normally spaced from said Wall-for approximately the diameter of the needles, saidwall and flanges defining an expansible unobstructed channel of uniform cross-section and entirely open at the top and bottom, whereby the attachment can be engaged over a group of needles open bottom with the group of needles encompassed by the wall and flanges, with the pointed ends of the needles projecting through and beyond the open top of said attachment so that a flat blade can be entered between said wall and the group of needles engaged thereby and frictionally held therebetween with its cutting edge through its a needles projecting through and top of said attachment so that beyond the open a flat blade can be entered between said wall and the group of needles engaged there-by and located above the top of the attachment and 7 below the pointed end of the needles.

2. In combination a gill box faller bar comprised of the conventional base and needles, and a detachable attachment for securing a blade to such faller bar with its cutting edge in predetermined relation to its needles, said attachment being made of a sheet material and comprising a wall of a width suflicient to span a group of adjacent needles and of a height less than) the length of the needles and flanges bent from the opposite side edges of said wall to extend in wardly toward each other and parallel with and normally spaced from said Wall for approximately the diameter of the needles, 7 defining an expansible unobstructed channel of uniform cross-section and entirely open at the said wall and flanges side edges of said wall to extend inwardly toward each other and parallel with and spaced from said wall, said wall and flanges defining an expansible unobstructed channel of uniform crosssection and entirely open at the top and bottom,

whereby the attachment can be engaged over a group of needles through its open bottom with the group of needles encompassed by the wall and flanges, with the pointed ends of the needles projecting through and beyond the open top of said attachment so that a flat blade can be entered between said wall and the group of needles engaged thereby and frictionally held therebetween with its cutting edge located above the top ofthe attachment and below the pointed end of the needles and means on the holder for top and bottom, the attachment being engaged over a group of needles through its openbottom with the group of needles encompassed by the Wall and flanges, with the pointed ends of the interengaging with an inserted blade for looking it against vertical movement relative to the holder.

ALBERT J. SIGNORET. 

